Win It: CSN Lighting.

I'm really jazzed about this week's giveaway from CSN Lighting! I can hardly stand it because one of you have the chance to win this insanely awesome post-modern George Kovacs Grid Pendant.

For nearly half a century, George Kovacs’ name has been synonymous with 20th century contemporary lighting design. His skill resided in his ability to fuse clean, beautiful lines with abstract form, creating unique products that were both modern and classic. George Kovacs was the innovator responsible for the birth of this unique style, a style that changed the course of industrial lighting design in America.

For many years, George Kovacs designed and manufactured his products from his own Brooklyn-based facility but in 2000 he sold his studio, designs and naming rights to lighting manufacturer the Minka Group. He was truly a legend whose work stands as a testament to his genius; his ceiling lights, table lamps, and floor lamps are all timeless pieces that remain true inspiration to contemporary designers.

To Enter:
1. Tell me what area of your home needs a little light brought into it
2. Leave a valid email address where you can be contacted (those who do not will be disqualified)
3. Do it all before Monday, July 13th at noon CST

Good luck! And take a look around CSN's site... I'm eyeing this and this!

Monday Goodness: Lifeless Machine.

{via ffffound}

Win It: Natty Michelle Reminder.

You only have until today at noon (CST) to enter Win It: Natty Michelle, so hurry, hurry, hurry for a chance to snag some of her hand-painted stationery!

Happy {4th of July} Weekend.

{john.reilly}

After just finding out at noon that my awesome boss is giving us tomorrow off for the 4th of July holiday, I have an unexpected day of nothing ahead of me! I think I'll spend my day hunting down a recipe for Saturday's cookout and tending to my drought-ridden lawn. And if there's some extra time maybe even hit up some holiday sales!

I'll be taking tomorrow off, but I'll see you bright and early Monday morning!

What are your plans for the 4th of July?

This Weekend:
• make a dessert for Saturday's cookout
• see fireworks
• clean up yard
• work on a project for my stepdad
• get some R&R!

Happy 4th of July!
Happy Weekend!

Picture It: The Beach.

{via ffffound}

{Elizabeth Weinberg}

{via ffffound}

{via ffffound}

{Stefa Zozokovich}

{via ffffound}

{via ffffound}

{via ffffound}

{via ffffound}

{Wendy Bevan}

3 to See.

Because I love her style of mixing vintage and modern
and she has one of the sweetest pups named Ned

Because it you're looking to do anything yourself
chances are she's found it for you already

Because she's super fun
and oh, yeah, an amazing chef

The Daily Eat: Pesto Mango Pita + Pesto Roundup.

{recipe and photo via Healthy. Happy. Life.}

I've never tried pairing pesto with something sweet like in this Pesto Mango Pita, but it's looks amazing and now I'm dying to try it out.

1. Pasta Salad with Pepita Spinach Pesto
2. Pesto Egg Salad
3. Pesto Pasta Salad
4. Pesto Shrimp with Pancetta and Parmesan Polenta
5. Potato Pesto Pizza
6. Sundried Tomato Pesto

Welcome Part 7: the Studio.

Having enough space for my own studio and office space was one of the things I was most looking forward to when I moved into my house. Before I was forced to store most of my fun crafty things wherever there was room. Now I love having a little sanctuary where I go and release some creative energy.

This desk is another one of my restoration projects from a few years ago. I bought it at a hotel liquidation sale for $15. It was an awful looking cream color with bright blue crackling and a faux marble laminate top that was peeling up at the edges. I (literally) chiseled the laminate off and painted it this beautiful blood red color. We've been happily together ever since!

I love, love, love these shelves. I can't find better words than that to describe how awesome it is to neatly store everything in it's own designated cubby. A total lifesaver and the boxes and other things within hold some of my favorite supplies.

I definitely need a new desk chair as this one clearly isn't meant for sitting on hour upon hour. The comfort level just isn't there. I've seen a few I like, but haven't managed to commit to one just yet.

To the left of the shelves is an empty corner and window. The plan is to get a comfy chair and lamp to occupy it and give myself a little "Inspiration Corner" of sorts.

I try to keep my desk as cleared off as possible, but that generally doesn't last for long. I like to store the pens and brushes I use most in cups for easy access.

Part of my K collection gets displayed on top of the shelves along with my framed Breakfast at Tiffany's movie poster. If you didn't know, I'm a big Audrey fan and this is one of my all time favorite movies!

Deciding on some sort of inspiration board area was one of my main focuses when thinking about how I wanted this space to be set up. I ended up going with individual cork squares set up in a grid for easy separation of thoughts. In retrospect I would have done six - three over three - instead of four squares.

There are two windows in the room that let in really great amounts of sunlight. I want to get a window covering that won't shut out the light, but diffuse it instead.

My knock-off Rothko painting. Just a little something I did to take up space on an empty wall for the moment. When I lived in an apartment these shelves sat in my kitchen and held food. Now I've re-purposed them as a large magazine rack.

You can't see the ceiling in any of the photos, but if you could you'd see the generic light fixture dead center. Since this is a creative space where magic is supposed to happen I want to find something really fun to replace it with.

BOLIDEN Chair and Footstool • LILLBERG Rocking Chair •
Westmore Casual Chandelier • Portfolio Brass & Gold Ceiling Flushmount •
BRASA Floor Lamp • Anemone •
Marimekko Stilla fabric • Ripple Leather Office Chair

Next: the Master Bedroom

Eva Juliet.

As soon as I saw Eva Juliet's shop on SeeSaw Designs it was love at first sight! I love the raw, sketchy feeling in all of her work and I don't think my kitchen could ever be complete without this Les Cuilleres print.

Picture It.

{lucy blagg}

Welcome Part 6: the Guest Room.

A big part of me cannot even believe that I'm showing you this room. Because right now it's a junk room. And I didn't even bother to clean up before taking these photos! But showing you my house is showing you my house. Flaws and all. And this is by far the biggest.

The only thing I've done since moving in is painted the walls. Since I didn't know what exactly I wanted to do as far as decorating this room I went with a neutral. Had it not been a glaringly bright harlot red when I moved in I would have held off, but it literally felt like walking into a red light district every time I opened the door! Yeah, it was that bad. I would normally leave the ceiling white, but the previous owners had done some bad touch-up paintwork with a matte on eggshell paint that stuck out like a sore thumb. It went all the way around the border of the room and needed a fast fix. The thought of repainting once I know what I'm doing has crossed my mind on more than one occasion.

For the time being a coffee table lives here. It's the table I was using before I got my current one. I love it and have no plans of selling, just hanging onto it for whatever house comes my way later in life. There's also a stack of boxes full of things I need to either keep or donate. Exciting stuff, right?

This is my dad's secretary desk from when he was a kid. It sat in our living room for years while I was growing up and now it's mine! I have nowhere else for it at the moment, so it's bound to be a fixture in this room no matter how I decorate.

CUBIX bed • ENGAN bed • HEMNES nightstand in white and black •
IKEA 365+ BRASA Table Lamp • PICCOLA Gallery Lamp • KAJSA Panel Curtain •
KAJSA RAND Panel Curtain

Whatever bed I end up getting has to be simple and un-clunky because this room is fairly small. Same goes for the nightstands. I think something tall and narrow would do the trick nicely. Unless the room pulls some House of Leaves move and gets larger there really isn't any space for a dresser. I'd like to keep the bedside lamps simple and am even considering something wall mounted to save on space. The one place I'd really like to add something special is the window treatment. I'm really digging these curtain panels for a pretty subtlety.

Next: the Studio

On the Rocks: Long Island Iced Tea.

{recipe and photo via mix shake and pour}

That's right folks, I'm bringing out the big guns this week with a Long Island Iced Tea. Not to be taken lightly, this cocktail is actually a combination of count 'em five different spirits! Lucky for us there's that refreshing splash of cola at the end to top it all off, making for a dangerously tasty cocktail.

Ingredients:
- .5 shots of Tequila
- .5 shots of Light Rum
- .5 shots of Vodka
- .5 shots of Gin
- .5 shots of Triple Sec
- 1 shot of Lime Juice
- top off with Cola

Add the first six ingredients to the shaker with lots of ice, shake thoroughly, strain over more ice and top up with Cola. Serve in a Collins glass and garnish with a lime wedge. Serves 1.

Roundup: 4th of July Eats.

Here are ten recipes that are guaranteed to get you an empty dish to take home at the end of your 4th of July bash!

What are you planning on making this weekend?
Me? I think I'm being drawn towards the last recipe listed here.

Summer Apple Pie • Berries & Cream Cones

Berry Cream Cake • Blackberry Limeade

Blackberry Granita & Cream Parfait • Choco Tacos

Frosted Banana Cake • Hand Pies

Lemon Semifreddo Pie in a Gingersnap Crust • Strawberry Dumplings

The Daily Eat: Pesto Parmesan Scones.

{recipe and photo via Salt and Chocolate}

Pesto Parmesan Scones look like a tasty break from sweet breakfast treats. I'd love to sit back with one of these, fresh from the oven, and a hot cup of tea!

Vancouver 2010 Official Posters.

The official posters of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games have been released. Loving the graphics - all of the colors, movement and patterns are beautiful. Can't wait to see the graphics for the individual events if this is a preview of what's to come! You can check out some of the graphics for individual events here.

SIGG Snack Boxes.

As if their incredible aluminum bottles weren't enough, SIGG now offers these too good to be true Snack Boxes. Made out of the same aluminum as the bottles, the rubber seal and snap locks on these sardine-like containers keep everything fresh and leak free. Personally, I'd like to put them to work in my studio for storing small odds and ends!

Picture It.

{via for me, for you}

Chuck Palahniuk.

Welcome Part 5: the Hall Bath.

My hall bath is probably what I would consider the most fun looking room in the house. Yes, that's right, I just called a bathroom "fun looking".

Originally this room was slated to be painted beige. But when I had some of this robin's egg blue (the actual name of the paint has long since left my memory) left from another room I decided to go for it. I already had the shower curtain and the prints for the walls, so it played into my colorful scheme perfectly.

One of the (many) nice things about all the color is that I don't have to really worry about bath towels ever not matching! It's also really fun to accessorize for this space, which is what I'm in the process of doing right now.

There are really only two changes I'd like to make in the near future: install a wall mounted shower rod and replace the faucet fixture for the sink.

Miraculously, all of the different colors don't make this space feel any smaller than it already it. I blame it on the white cabinetry.

brushed nickel double handle bathroom faucet •
satin nickel screw mount shower rod

Next: the Guest Room

The Daily Eat: Beachy Green Pesto Pizza.

{recipe and photo via Healthy. Happy. Life.}

I've tried pesto on lots of things, but never pizza. And pizza seems sort of a like a no brainer match. Now my stomach is straight up growling at the sight of this Beachy Green Pesto Pizza!

Photographer Crush: Aaron Feaver.

Aaron Feaver is an obviously gifted photographer. The way he makes his work look so effortless and in the moment is proof enough of that.

I'm head over heels for his Oceanside series where he perfectly captures the hazy, hot days of summer.

Mad Props: June.

June was a stellar month for blogging and one of Design Crush's biggest Mad Props ever! Thanks for all the creativity and inspiration, everyone.

wallpaper by the yard • stache bash • cupcake case garland

our wedding • cute 'brellas • $28 backyard fire pit

i just need to get this out of my brain • the crane chandelier •
old-fashioned soda bar

from the candy shoppe • delicious favor packages • Father's Day gift guide

DIY pearl necklace • Jill + Matt • little animals

DIY catalogue of love • arts + crafts with cookie cutters • The Art Weekend

Betsy McCall paper dolls • Great Gatsby goodbye party • secret invite

Picture It.

{The Light by Etoile Justus via ffffound}

Reckon Onesies.

I'm nowhere close to having a baby, but sometimes a girl just sees something that can make her ovaries ache the slightest bit. Like these hip and cool onesies from Reckon.

Win It: Heather Kintner Winner.

Congrats Jen! Sounds like your sister's bachelorette party is going to be amazing. I'd also like to Heather for doing this giveaway! I'm a big fan of her work and if you haven't already, stop by her etsy shop and take a look around.

Welcome Part 4: the Dining Area.

My dining area is tiny. There's only room for a four seat table and my bar cabinet. But it's the perfect size for me right now.

The first thing I did, before I even had any furniture for the space, was replace the existing light fixture with this structural one that a lot of you will recognize from IKEA. It doesn't emit a lot of light, but with the patio doors being right there I don't really depend on it for that purpose anyway. It's definitely something that has better looks than function, but it remains of my favorite things in the house.

Because of the limited space I really wanted two things out of a table. I wanted it to have nice lines and I wanted it to not stand out against it's surroundings too terribly much. Luckily I was able to find a set that met both of those requirements and not break the bank. Once again, thank you IKEA!

Somehow over the years I've acquired quite a collection of barware. I love chrome and glass and wanted to be able to showcase it instead of hiding everything behind cabinet doors. Thankfully, this china cabinet that I restored has a glass door, allowing me to do just that.


Next: the Hall Bath

The Daily Eat: Creamy Pesto Pasta.

{recipe and photo via Our Best Bites}

Welcome to Pesto Week! A perfect example that shows how combining simple ingredients can create the most extraordinary results.

Creamy Pesto Pasta looks mouthwateringly delicious. And fattening. But thanks to a recipe for Guiltless Alfredo Sauce, it's not nearly as bad for you as one might think! The amount of pasta used is also very deceptive.

Win It: Natty Michelle.

Natty Michelle has the sweetest hand-painted stationery that's perfect for any occasion. She's always adding new designs, full of whimsy and flair, and her passion for art is apparent. They're the perfect day brighteners to have show up in your mailbox! Natalie's graciously offered up eight cards to the winner of Win It: Natty Michelle. Winner's choice! Now if that's not a sweet start to a Monday, well, then I don't know what is.

To Enter:
• Tell me whether or not you've ever had a pen pal
• Leave a valid email address (Those who fail to will be disqualified.)
• Do it all before Monday, July 6 at noon CST

Best of luck! A winner will be chosen randomly shortly after the contest ends.

Monday Goodness: Kapow.

{via ffffound}

Happy Weekend.

{via ffffound}

The word scorching is an understatement when used to describe the weather we've had this week. From my estimation, there wasn't one day below 100º. In July and August that's normal, but in June it's ridiculous! Right now it's all about the cool indoors. Sad since my fence finally went up last Friday and now my patio furniture has to sit by itself until things cool down. I'm thinking I'll be back there in, oh, maybe October.

This Weekend:
• K's birthday Happy Hour
• dinner with the fam
• laundry
• groceries
• touch-up paint on all cabinets and baseboards around the house

NOTE: You only have until Monday at noon CST to enter Win It: Heather Kintner. Take advantage of the low numbers and make her bachelorette invitations and thank you notes yours!

Happy Weekend!